What follows is a pretty standard Semi-Italian Four Knights Jerome Gambit as played by Bill Wall, where things become quite unlucky for Black at move 13, and the second player's game seems to spiral down out of sight after that.
Wall,B - Snoopy
Chess.com, 2010
1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bc4 h6
The Semi-Italian Opening.
4.0-0 Nf6 5.Nc3 Bc5
Semi-Italian Four Knights Game.
6.Bxf7+
Semi-Italian Four Knights Jerome Gambit.
I find it fascinating that Rybka, on "blunder check" at 5 minutes per move, suggested: 6.Na4 Be7 7.d3 0-0 8.h3 a6 9.Nc3 Bc5 10.Nd5 d6 as being slightly better for White.
analysis diagram
6...Kxf7 7.Nxe5+ Nxe5 8.d4
8...d6
The current game is the only example of this move in the updated New Year's Database, but there are a number of games from the Four Knights move order (without the Semi-Italian ...h6 and 0-0).
9.dxc5 dxc5 10.Qe2 Bg4
Similar to the move in perrypawnpusher - foreverblackman, blitz FICS, 2010: Black gets his Bishop over to where the action is, causing White to play the inconvenient f2-f3, and perhaps planning to return the gambitted piece for a pawn.
11.f3 Bh5 12.g4 Bg6 13.f4
This move is thematic (i.e. advance of the "Jerome pawns") but leads to a very complicated position. Black can – and probably should – play 13...Nexg4, capturing a pawn, even though he will lose the Knight eventually.
Rybka suggests 13...Nexg4 14.Qc4+ (to avoid the exchange of Queens which would occur after 14.h3 Qd4+) Ke8 15.Rd1 Qe7 16.h3 Rd8 17.Re1 Ne5 18.fxe5 Qxe5 and it looks as if Black is better on material, development and King safety – although there are many ways either player can go wrong.
analysis diagram
13...Nc6
Certainly this is a reasonable move, but White's game now gathers momentum.
14.e5 Nd5
Black still has a piece to give back, and Rybka suggest that he do so with: 14...Kg8 15.exf6 Qxf6 16.f5 Bf7 17.Be3 Re8 18.Rad1 Kh7 19.Rf4 b6 when White's edge is minimal.
analysis diagram
15.Qc4 Re8
Returning material, but it does not help much.
16.Nxd5 b5 17.Qxc5 Nxe5
Hastens the end.
18.fxe5+ Kg8 19.Bxh6 Rxe5 20.Rad1 Bf7
21.Qc3 Qd6 22.Nf6+ Black resigned
It seems that I have had a bad run of "technical difficulties" in my online play lately. I hope that today's game is the last one, for a long, long time.
If a chess player makes a poor move, it is no surprise that he or she might get frustrated. How about "Win with grace, lose with dignity," as Susan Polgar suggests?
perrypawnpusher - foreverblackman
blitz 10 0, FICS, 2010
1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bc4 Nd4
The Blackburne Shilling Gambit.
4.Bxf7+
The Blackburne Shilling Jerome Gambit. The updated New Year's Database has 2,365 games with this position, with White scoring 56%. (I have scored 88%. Remember: when it comes to statistics, Your Mileage May Vary.)
4...Kxf7 5.Nxe5+ Ke8 6.Qh5+ g6
7.Nxg6 hxg6 8.Qxg6+
This is a safer capture for White than 8.Qxh8 Nxc2+ 9.Kd1 Nxa1 10.Qxh8 Qg5, when Black grabs the initiative.
8...Ke7 9.Qg5+ Nf6 10.Qc5+ d6 11.Qxd4
White has four pawns for his sacrificed piece, and a lot of practical chances for advantage.
11...c5 12.Qe3 Bh6 13.Qe2
I didn't like having my Queen pushed around like this, but White has to come up with a way to keep his King safe before he can think about advancing his "Jerome pawns" against Black's King.
13...Bg4 14.f3 Bh5 15.Nc3 a6
After the game Rybka suggested play that also kept the game even: 15...Bf7 16.g4 d5 17.e5 Nd7 18.0-0 d4 19.Ne4 Bf4 20.d3 Rxh2 21.Rf2 Rxf2 22.Qxf2 Bxc1 23.Rxc1 Qh8 24.Re1 Be6 25.Qg3 Rg8 .
analysis diagram
I like Black's position a bit better, but what do I know?
16.d3 Bxc1 17.Rxc1 Qb6
18.Rb1
Still keeping the position closed.
18...Rag8 19.g3
After the game Rybka suggested blowing the game open for a slight advantage for White, but too much of the recommendation felt like "computer chess": 19.g4 Bf7 20.h4 d5 21.g5 Rxg5 22.hxg5 Rxh1+ 23.Kd2 Rxb1 24.Nxb1 Nd7 25.exd5+ Kf8 26.Qh2 Bxd5 27.Nc3 Be6 28.Qh6+ Kg8 29.Qg6+ Kf8 30.Qe4 Bf7 31.Kc1.
analysis diagram
19...Qc6
Rybka's sound-and-fury-signifying-nothing suggestion was that Black go, instead, for the draw by sacrificing his Queen with: 19...Bf7 20.Qf2 Qa5 21.Qd2 Qc7 22.g4 d5 23.g5 Qg3+ 24.hxg3 Rxh1+ 25.Ke2 Rh2+ 26.Ke1 Rh1+ etc
analysis diagram
20.Nd5+ Nxd5
Oops.
Of course, 20...Kf7 keeps the position balanced and the game uncertain.
21.exd5+
Here, seeing that his Queen was destined to leave the board, Black disconnected.
Best was 21...Kf6 22.dxc6 Re8 when Black can win White's Queen – at the cost of a Rook. White will be the exchange and several pawns ahead.
White was later awarded the win by adjudication
